


Set my heart high (like a volleyball)

by bluedheart



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Sports, Unbeta-ed, Volleyball, noren is side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 06:51:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13266015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluedheart/pseuds/bluedheart
Summary: Mark and Donghyuck belong to rival high schools and they hate each other's guts — they're not even subtle about this statement. They think the universe must be playing a joke on them when they end up in the same university auditioning for the same volleyball team.





	Set my heart high (like a volleyball)

**Author's Note:**

> oh god i'm going to post it because i've be working on this fic for months but now i'm hella embarrassed (?)  
> it's unbeta-ed, please forgive my grammar mistakes!!  
> enjoy :)

 

 

After endless practice sessions and continuous muscle aches that led them to sleep deprived nights, it seemed like this moment would never come but it’s finally here: the last match of the season — and their goodbye to their high school life.

Mark is thrilled.

His balled hands are deep down on the pockets of his navy blue tracksuit, earbuds stuffed in as he walks into the gymnasium. Mark sits on the bench assigned for his team while the playlist rolls away, not really paying attention to the music. Instead, he observes the bleachers filling up and banners being placed on the railings. Mark settles his sport bag near his feet and lets the feeling of reality sink in.

It’s not just a simple final game, not when it’s against the rival school. His right leg starts hammering against the gymnasium’s floor as nervousness fills his system. Mark knows they’re ready to put up a good fight but can’t avoid feeling a bit jittery and expectant.

After a few minutes the bleachers are almost full. Their classmates along with other people from their school came to cheer for them ready with a bunch of cheerleader’s pompons and whistles matching the official colors of their school, yellow and blue.

Switching his eyes around the agitated audience, Mark spots his family in the crow and immediately facepalms. His older brother is porting a big ass banner with Mark’s name and number along with an embarrassing quote: _fly high supercaptain!_ And an attempt of a cute doodle in the corner.

Mark acts as if he didn’t see them when his brother starts moving it around vigorously.

There is a sudden, warm, heavy feeling on his knee that makes his leg stop and takes him out of his self embarrassed bubble. Jeno looks up to him as his hand is consistent on his best friend’s leg.

“Feeling nervous?”

Taking his earbuds out and letting it drop on his lap, Mark scoffs. “No.” _Freaking yes._

“Don’t worry, we’ve got this.” Jeno pats his leg with reassurance.

Even if Mark confines his real thoughts to himself, Jeno will always see through him.

“Hmm,” That’s the only thing Mark manages to say.

It’s not like Mark is a negative soul, he just has a lot of things weighing on his shoulders. Mark’s the captain of their team and he forces himself to put up a tough façade for the younger ones so they can rely on him. Plus, Mark has been spending every free time of his high school life playing volleyball so he could fight for a sport scholarship to get into NCT U. When everyone was socializing like normal teenagers, Mark didn’t even know what the trendy song was at the moment.

Since this morning his mind has been a bit cloudy with too many thoughts flowing through it. Mark knows scouts will be checking their performance and he can’t let pass this once in life opportunity.

With too much going on in his head, Mark almost misses Jeno’s eyes lighting up when a certain blonde from the opposite team enters in. He seriously expects that Jeno stays in his freaking line for once, not like last time when he scurried to sit with their rivals, gaining a few odd looks — and a yell from Mark because _what the hell._

The referee calls for the captain of both teams and Mark has to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.

“Look who managed to get into the final.”

“Definitely not to see your face.” Mark retorts.

There is a smile blossoming on Donghyuck’s lips that’s growing into a smirk and Mark seriously wants to spike a ball onto his face. Pity that the referee is still there and they have to keep it somewhat civil, so they just shake hands barely tightening the grip.

His hand becomes languid to his side as the referee calls for heads or tails.

“Tails.” Mark opts.

The coin flips a few times in the air before being caught.

“Tails it is.”

“We call serve,” Mark chooses and nods towards the referee before looking at Donghyuck.

He has that expression that says the same as his: last game, this is war.

 

❈

 

The game is tough. Sets always end up passing the usual line of points as none of them want to give up the opportunity of carrying the trophy in their hands.

They’re currently on the fourth set.

Mark’s team is winning by two sets and if they kill this one they will be proclaimed champions, but obviously Donghyuck is not letting that happen. The scoreboard shows 19-21. If they keep on like this, they’re going to lose this set and that means they have to go for a fifth and last one.

Sweat is persistent on Mark’s forehead and he rubs it away with his blue official t-shirt. Mark bents down and places his hands on his bare knees as he looks at his teammates. They’re outworn. Their coach called a time-out to establish a few new strategies and to cut the good streak from the rival team.

“They’re good with tips, we’ve fallen for a few of them already,” Mark points out, annoyed. A few teammates look over their shoulders as they spot the rival captain.

Donghyuck is an expert at that and doesn’t doubt playing his best card. It’s his trick and Mark can’t stop falling for it. With just the contact of his fingertips the ball passes the net and they barely have time to run and set it high again. That stupid smirk never fails to do a comeback when the ball touches the floor.

“We need to use our best weapons too,” Mark’s eyes land on the referee that’s checking his watch before looking at his teammates. The time is ticking and Mark’s heartbeat starts speeding up matching the watch handles. “We have a few tall members, we need to create a decent wall. Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung will take care of that.”

There is a consensus nod as the named boys get closer to sort out a plan.

“About the serves, go straight for it. Send them powerful shots that will destabilize their libero and the ball will go off limits.”

That’s the best way of getting extra points just from the beginning of the serve. Mark doesn’t want to let go of this set, he knows their teammates will be too tired for a fifth one.

“Alright guys, gather up,” The rest of the team as well as the seated ones on the bench huddle around him in a circle. “We’ve been doing amazing up until now; let’s keep up the good work!”

The whistle pierces the air and they howl as their hands gather up in the middle of the circle to chant a few team-words. The ones on the bench pat their backs and butts to encourage the players.

 _We’ve got this._ Jeno’s words keep repeating on Mark’s mind as he scurries to take his position up at the front.

Donghyuck is in the other side of the net, eyes looking straight at him as a few strands of red dark hair are stuck on his forehead.

“Feeling energizer?”

“You can bet.” Mark replies, lips tugging up in a half smile.

Donghyuck’s stare hardens when the ball is tossed into the air.

24-24

They managed to match the score and the rival team is _fuming._

It’s not an easy task to keep the two points difference, they keep on achieving one point and then the rival school does the same. It’s like a never ending game.

28-27

Mark is up at the front again as he gets ready to attack. From the corner of his eye he observes Donghyuck moving, trying to follow his position. Mark looks at his setter to determine the direction of the ball and he leaps, his hand comes in contact with the ball and sends it flying between the blockers. The ball bounces off the floor as the rival libero misses it.

Mark wishes he could see the scoreboard going up but as he comes off his jump, his leg slips and his knee collides with the floor. Mark hisses. A piercing pain runs through his leg as he drops his arms to hold himself up, head hanging down to hide his distressful face. Mark endures and blinks away the tears that are about to fall out.

 “You okay?”

It doesn’t take long for Jeno to come up running to check on him and Mark lets himself be dragged up as he forcefully sends the pain away.

“Your bad knee again?”

Mark mutters a ‘yeah’ through gritted teeth and eagerly takes his dark hair off his face as if it’s going to relieve the pain or make him focus more in some kind of way.

Before the game resumes, Mark stares at Donghyuck and immediately looks away when their eyes lock, getting off the nonexistent dust that could have landed on his clothes. Mark just doesn’t want to look at him, he’s still processing the fact that Donghyuck, his archenemy, asked him a simple question that actually wasn’t simple at all.

_You okay?_

 

 

29-28

One point. Just one point is what separates them from getting the trophy. Both teams are pulling up a good fight even if their energy is very much depleted.

Mark looks at Jeno sideways when he notices who the next server is in the rival team and a ray of hope blossoms in his chest. Donghyuck is an amazing setter and even better to carry out tricks up at the front in the net, but definitely he’s not one of the best when it comes to serve powerful shots.

As expected, the ball crosses the net with a low impact. It’s very playable and Jaemin takes advantage of that to set it up and send a useful collocation to the setter. Mark and Jeno are ready to play the trick as the hitters without letting know who is the one killing the ball at the end.

They both leap and the rival team forms a wall trying to knock it off but their focus is mostly on Jeno who has a better position. In a last minute decision, Jisung suits it to his right where Mark is already waiting and before he knows it, his wrist moves and he spikes it to the open corner.

The buzz comes off and he’s just there, numb.

His sport shoes are glued to the shining floor as the scoreboard moves: 30-28.

_They’ve won._

“We’ve won!!!” Jeno jumps on his back, yelling and Mark comes off his trance and laughs as his teammates hug him fervently almost knocking him off.

They end up on the floor forming a human buddle as the players on the bench join them and it’s just a mess. They are yelling, laughing, crying… Mark comes with the excuse that it’s sweat and tries to hide his face behind his forearm but Jeno knows him better than that — and he will never let that die anyway.

Wiping his tears away with the back of his hand, Mark calls for the team to gather up.

“Line up guys.”

The rival team is already waiting on the other side of the net and they shake hands as they pass by.

“Congratulations.” Donghyuck says, coldly.

“Thank you,” Mark replies, trying to suppress the bliss. “You put up a good game.”

Donghyuck just looks at him making Mark squirm in his own skin before dropping his eyes. Mark follows his stare and notices his scratchy knee. Damn, he showed his weak side in front of the enemy. Well, it’s over anyway.

They lock eyes again and Donghyuck lets out a hum before going for a handshake with the next opponent player. Mark looks after him as if he just missed something he should have known.

He’s lost.

 

❈

 

It’s just a few days after the last game of their high school senior year, in the beginning of the summer, when Mark receives a call from his mom.

They’re hanging out in the local pool after promising they weren’t going to play volleyball during the whole summer — but they know they’ll be back at it two days later anyway. Jaemin decided they were going to play with another kind of ball so they’re currently playing soccer or attempting to.

Jeno says it loud and clear, “We suck.”

They have kicked more grass than the actual ball.

Mark laughs when Jaemin bows down to apologize to a passerby that just got kicked and fishes his phone when it starts ringing. He walks away from the loud chattering to have a clear hear although he doesn’t need to — she’s screaming.

“What’s going on?” Jeno asks when notices his best friend frozen with his phone still glued to his ear despite the call being finished a few seconds ago.

Mark blinks, once, twice, and then, “I got a sport scholarship for NCT U.”

The feeling of the last game comes all at once when he feels all his friends throwing themselves over him in a barbaric hug.

 

It’s not until two weeks before the start of his freshman year in college that Mark starts practicing seriously for volleyball again. Mark brings Jeno begrudgingly after he comes back from his vacation in Miami. Jeno is porting this sun-tattoo thanks to his bratty cousin that decided to spread cream on his back with Lenny’s face.

“I swear to god if you tell someone—“

And by someone he means Jaemin because if he finds out then Jeno won’t see the end of it.

During one of their breaks, Jeno too focused on stealing food from Mark’s bag, he takes a photo and sends it to their group chat. Jeno has a bad feeling when his phone starts ringing obnoxiously in his pocket and without a doubt he starts chasing after Mark, maniac laugh filling the air.

 

❈

 

The atmosphere in the gymnasium of NCT U is cold and Mark feels like someone took away the air from his lungs. He’s sitting on a bench as he waits for the coach to show up. His fingers flicker over his trembling legs as he lets out heavy sighs every time someone enters in.

A few players from the current team are walking around getting the set up done for the new members.

Mark follows them with his eyes as a distraction until a blurry red spot calls his attention.

Donghyuck is walking up to the bench of newbies when he stops on his tracks as he locks eyes with Mark.

None of them were sure where the other would go. Mark always made it clear that he wanted to get into NCT U because he was a big fan of a previous hitter from this university. He still has the walls from his old bedroom filled with posters showing his not so lowkey obsession that leaded him to start playing volleyball.

Of course, Donghyuck didn’t know any of that because they barely talk — they just glare.

As expected, Donghyuck sits as far away as he possibly can at the beginning of the bench away from Mark. He’s not surprised though, they’re not friends anyway it’s not like he was expecting a warm greeting.

Two seconds later the coach comes in and the chattering dies down as they start hushing.

“Good morning.” He says and everyone replies in unison. His eyes scan the now upstanding new members and they start quivering under his gaze. Jung Yunho is young with a firm authority as makes them know when he starts demanding from the beginning a few serves to check their skills.

Mark is about to send his third serve when the coach stops him. He feels as if his knees are going to give out any second.

“What’s your position?”

“Wing spiker, sir.” Mark manages to spill, voice caught up in his throat.

Yunho’s gaze lands on the boys perched on the bench and announces, “I need a setter.”

Apart from Donghyuck, two other boys raise their hands and the coach checks his clipboard. He flips the pages reading the provided information until his head comes up again and Donghyuck is about to vomit his breakfast.

“You two are from the same district?”

Donghyuck and Mark look at each other briefly before letting out a ‘yes’.

“Good, show me what you got.”

With quivering steps, Donghyuck approaches the net and catches the volleyball that Mark throws at him.

“Set it high.”

Donghyuck is too focused with getting his shit together that ignores the fact that Mark demanded him something. If they still were in high school, they would be bickering like dogs by now.

His Adam’s apple moves as apprehension fills his system. Donghyuck manages to put out a decent ball as his first set but it’s nothing spectacular. The coach calls for a second one. Rotating his shoulders trying to loose his muscles, Donghyuck sets it high and a bit inclined to the right as he had saw Mark’s old setter do it every time it was his turn. Mark spikes it perfectly and the coach hums in satisfaction.

 

❈

 

The season starts with a bunch of seniors taking the spotlight. The new members barely are taken in consideration for the start lineup so Mark finds himself benched almost in every match. It sucks, but it also motivates him to practice more.

Mark’s feeling a bit unwell today so he’s kind of glad that he’ll be benched again. What he’s not so glad about is seeing a certain blonde boy with innocent looking eyesmile walking up to him.

“Yo!”

“What are you doing here?!” Mark hisses, half yelling at his best friend as he approaches him. “I told you I’m not playing today!”

Jeno scoffs. “Who said I came to see you?”

Mark quirks a brow at that. He calls Jeno his best friend for a few reasons: Jeno is an amazing supporter to everything he does and even better when it comes to give advices. Mark knows he can rely on him on everything. Mark also calls him the devil — for even more than evident motives.

“Hey Donghyuck!”

And Mark is positive Jeno is the second one today.

Said boy stops on his tracks and looks at them as if one of them grew a third head.

“Hey?” Donghyuck replies, with a hint of a question.

Jeno snakes an arm around Mark’s shoulders and brings him closer. “Take care of buddy here, will you? He’s still a bit nervous.”

And then happens what they would never expect in a million years — Donghyuck looks at Mark for help. Donghyuck is bewildered as hell but Mark looks even worse, eyes too round almost falling out. He prays his teammate gets the hint that he doesn’t have anything to do with this sudden-unwanted approach and soon even less with a dead blonde.

“Okay?”

Donghyuck starts walking in whatever direction; he forgot where he was planning to go because it caught him off guard, but still looks back to give a quirked eyebrow to the two freaks. Donghyuck’s still unsure of what happened with his old rivals.

“Oh my god, he’s going to think I’m a weirdo!”

“So now you care what he thinks of you?” Jeno says, smirk on point. Mark grunts.

“No!” Their hate relationship is a bit broken with the amount of meet-ups the team has but they still prefer to stay as far away from each other as possible. “Just—“

Mark doesn’t even finish whatever he was going to say because he thinks beating up his best friend is a more accurate answer.

 

❈

 

The season ends with their team getting the third position. Mark and Donghyuck managed to get a few minutes out of the tournament but their thirst for a whole game is still intact. Nevertheless, their coach doesn’t look pleased with the outcome. And the fact that a few seniors graduated takes his angry state to a whole new level. The team looks a bit unbalanced so the coach starts bickering a few new plans for the upcoming season.

Mark swears he must be deaf or something when the coach points at him and then at Donghyuck before the next words leave his lips, “From now on I want you two to start practicing together. I want a good synchronization.”

He seriously prefers to be deaf.

And that’s how they end up shut-in the gymnasium at the beginning of the summer. Thoughts of a relaxing holiday long forgotten.

The situation just can be defined as _awkward as hell._

Usually, Mark is the first one to come in and starts warming up. Then Donghyuck comes and they avoid each other as long as they can manage before one of them give up on their pride and asks to start practicing the synchronization.

One day, Mark is a bit late for practice because he stayed until late listening to Jeno complain about how cute his crush looks with a new haircut and how his heart can’t stand such perfection — _thank you Jeno, but that’s not relevant information in my life._

Donghyuck is already there practicing serves. Mark plops his sport bag on a bench and cleans his face with the bottom of his t-shirt for any kind of trail from his sleep. He observes how the ball passes the net and comes off with a light bounce after touching the line at the back.

“You should use the heel of your hand for a better track—” When the sound of his own voice reaches his ears, Mark covers his mouth, realizing he said it out loud.

_Shit._

Donghyuck’s head shots in his direction, hand held up ready to try a new serve.

“I— don’t mind me,” Mark hurriedly spits and rounds, freaking out because _damn_ — and busies himself with his bag as coverage.

There is an awkward silence that follows after his outburst before he hears Donghyuck talking.

“The heel you said?”

Mark looks over his shoulder and finds Donghyuck with the ball secured on his side, grey t-shirt a bit riled up around his hip.

“Um, yeah,” Mark replies, pushing his growing bangs aside. “Hit the ball in the middle with the heel of your hand. It’ll follow a straightest trajectory.”

Donghyuck looks at him sideways before trying the new information. Mark looks at the scene, arms crossed over his chest and feeling a bit uneasy — it’s too early for this shit, his brain can’t function properly.

The ball comes off with a more secure track. It’s a basic serve just to pass the bulk, they can’t ask for more.

Donghyuck hums in satisfaction and his eyes land on Mark. Donghyuck’s lips tug up in a half uncertain smile. Mark gives him a thumb up, lips pressed tight, not really knowing how to react.

The atmosphere feels heavy.

Then Donghyuck breaks it when he adds with a sassy tinge, “Should I set it high _again?_ ”

And Mark knows he’s referring to their coordination trick. Tucking his hands on his black sweatpants, Mark walks up to Donghyuck and scoffs but a playful smile makes its way to his lips.

 

 

Mark thought it would be a onetime thing, but when Donghyuck comes up to him the next day making his ball roll away — after hitting Mark’s head— as Mark misses the ball’s path, he’s perplexed.

“Can you check my serves?”

And by that he means: _can you give me more advices?_

Mark blinks first because what the hell, and then nods. He stays out of the court and observes. Donghyuck has improved in just one day and Mark may be a bit amazed —but saves the compliments to himself. He doesn’t notice Donghyuck looking back at him waiting for a feedback until seconds later.

“Oh,” Mark says, still a bit out of the blue. “It was nice. I mean — you can add a few steps to make it more powerful.”

Donghyuck moves his hand in a negative. “No way, I barely can handle a basic one.”

“I can help you,” Mark’s eyes grow like saucers at his outburst. It’s becoming an annoying habit. He seriously needs to filter everything he says.

“Really?” Donghyuck asks, amused. “You don’t look like you meant it.”

Transparent. That’s what Jeno always calls him.

“No, I mean — yeah, I don’t mind helping you out,”

Donghyuck chuckles. Mark’s puzzled face is way too funny. He’s taking all his willpower not to add a few remarks.

“If you insist,” Donghyuck’s eyes have a playful glint and Mark doesn’t know what’s going on anymore. “How do I place my feet?”

Their coordination task is long forgotten as they’re too engrossed with the serves. Mark has a lot of patience thanks to his years as a captain in his old school. There were a lot of kids that haven’t played volleyball in their whole life, but Haikyuu!! made them want to play. Mark had to deal with a lot of Hinata wannabes.

Donghyuck still waits for Mark to yell at him at some point because he’s too afraid of getting hit in the face if his position is wrong —that yell never comes though.

They end up sprawled in the gymnasium’s floor after hours of practicing. Their t-shirts are drenched in sweat and their muscles are sore. Heavy chests come up and down as their breaths are the only sounds filling the gymnasium. They lost track of the time and it has become dark outside.

Begrudgingly Donghyuck gets up and ignores his legs complaining, they need to rest —but an essay is waiting for him on his desk and no one is going to make it for him. Donghyuck walks up to his sport bag and tosses everything in. Mark figures he’s going to leave, that’s what they always do anyway. Collect everything and leave without a word.

This time it feels different. Especially when Donghyuck walks next to the benches and stops when he reaches Mark’s bag. He spins around on his heels, facing it and then bends. Mark quirks a brow because all he can see is Donghyuck’s back and he never comes near Mark’s stuff nor him but today Donghyuck is crossing all the lines their archenemy relationship built up during all these years. Donghyuck rises up and turns, lifting his hand up as a farewell —scratch another line there— before marching to the door and getting out.

Mark’s eyes follow him until he leaves the gymnasium and then hurries to the benches. There is a Kit-Kat pack placed on the top of his bag and he knows the coach is very much against it —and so is his strict diet— but it doesn’t stop a smile to form on his lips.

They’re still too stubborn to say a simple thank you.

 

❈

 

“What’s that?”

Mark barely registers his best friend talking to him, too focused on the videogame at hand. At first, when Jeno barged into his room saying they needed a Sunday’s best friend thingy because Mark has been neglecting their friendship, Mark had buried his face into his pillow ignoring the statement because it was ridiculous. Jeno decided it wasn’t a decent answer and dragged him out from his bed by his foot.

“I asked you,” Jeno kicks his side and Mark almost drops the stick placed on his lips. “What’s that?”

“Kit-Kat, have you never seen it?”

Jeno kicks him again because how dare he be a sassy ass. “I know that asshole, I’m asking you why are you eating it. Aren’t you a freak of healthy food?”

Mark just shrugs and continues playing as the stick disappears into his mouth.

“Gimme some,”

“Nah.”

“Why not?” At the lack of response, Jeno makes his way to the other side just to get his hand slapped. He brings his beaten hand to his chest and caresses it. “Why are you being such an ass? It’s from a fan or something?”

Mark almost drops his gamepad. “As if,” Just imagining Donghyuck batting his eyelashes at him makes him shiver.

“Then share! Sharing is caring!”

Mark’s clothed foot makes its way to Jeno’s face. He has had enough; it’s time to counterattack.

 

❈

 

The following week, Mark feels a bit nervous —not that he’s going to admit it— because he has been giving to his old-enemy or whatever they’re now more time than he ever thought he would. Mark passed the afternoon from yesterday looking for old stuff from his volleyball team where he explained easy stuff for different positions.

So when Donghyuck comes in, Mark’s voice sounds a bit high pitched from his excited state and startles his teammate.

Clearing his throat to save future embarrassments, Mark says again, “So, casually, yesterday I was checking stuff from my old team and found a few tips for good serves.”

Donghyuck drops his belongings on the floor as he locks eyes with Mark. “How lucky I am huh? I’m glad _casually_ you found it,” He draws ‘casually’ a bit too much for Mark’s liking.

“Yeah,” Mark murmurs. “Casually.”

He’s starting to hate that word.

“So, what did you get me?” Donghyuck asks, playfully. Arms crossed over his bluish t-shirt, wrinkling the Adidas logo.

Mark bents down and rummages his sport bag, putting aside his showering stuff and pulls out his grey laptop.

“Oh shit, you’re even going to make it fancy,”

“Shut up.” Mark grunts, placing it on a bench and sitting cross-legged on the floor as he looks for the document. From the corner of his eye Mark notices Donghyuck taking a seat an arm-length away from him, but enough to have a good view of the screen.

Mark passes the slides while explaining the content.

“I think that if you nail those, we can go for a flying serve with steps, how that sounds?”

“It sounds like my neck breaking on the floor.”

Mark blinks and then laughs, craning his neck and catching Donghyuck’s sheepish smile. It must be weird for him too to try to ease the atmosphere and get along with someone that he sort of hated for three years and he has to work with now.

As much as Mark would like to say _‘have faith in me, I’ll help you’_ he’s not quite sure Donghyuck can believe him just yet and Mark doesn’t blame him. This sudden kind of friendship was forced but as time goes by, Mark doesn’t feel that irritating feeling whenever he sees his teammate.

“Let’s try it,” Mark gets up, raising his arms and stretching then over his head.

“No promises of a good performance,” Donghyuck tries to play it cool but Mark notices him looking a bit nervous.

Mark has observed that Donghyuck likes to play around too much but sometimes he uses it to hide his insecurities.

“Don’t worry, actually I need to practice my serves too,” Mark lies.

Donghyuck looks at him sideways and Mark knows he has been caught but Donghyuck doesn’t say anything.

 

They practicing together become a routine. Initially it was uncomfortable but as weeks passed by they grew comfortable with each other. Mark would busy himself with his phone until Donghyuck showed up and then their practice would begin —even their warm ups have become the same ones.

“Set it hi—“

“High,” Donghyuck finishes for him and rolls his eyes. “You’re so stubborn with showing your strength. You’re putting too much pressure on your bad knee.”

Mark flushes, hand coming up to scratch his nape. “So you noticed. Most people think I just slip.”

Donghyuck is pretty much offended. “I’m not most people.”

And yeah, he’s not. Donghyuck has been making his way through Mark’s daily life as if he always belonged there. Donghyuck is actually very funny and witty, he comes up with the most absurd but brilliant ideas. Mark finds himself staying longer after their practice sessions just for the sake of enjoying the other’s company.

One night, Mark realizes they’ve been there longer than planned when Jeno calls him demanding where the fuck was him —literal words. Donghyuck had to cover his upcoming laugh when he heard Jeno whining like a baby because Donghyuck was stealing his best friend from him.

“Why don’t you try tips? You still have to jump but the pressure will be lower.”

“Tips,” Mark repeats with bitterness. “Of course you would recommend it. It pissed me off to no end. You did them on purpose in high school, didn’t you?”

Donghyuck shrugs as he smirks. “Maybe?”

Mark groans. “I seriously hated you for that.”

“You don’t hate me anymore?”

The tips of Mark’s ears redden. It’s not like they’re now the best friends ever, but they somehow buried their enmity somewhere along with a bunch of Kit-Kat’s wrappings —much to their coach’s despair.

So he goes for an almost inaudible, “Shut up.”

 

❈

 

When the new college year comes in, their teammates look at them a bit suspicious. Yuta even had the audacity to ask a few cheeky questions which Mark vehemently ignored for the sake of his own pride.

And just like that, the routine is back.

Mark settles his belonging on a bench and looks into his bag for his energizer drink —only to be snatched right away.

“Thank you, I’m freaking thirsty.”

Mark observes how Donghyuck drowns his drink and he would protest but Donghyuck’s hair is a bit disheveled and he looks breathless. Donghyuck still has a few marks of bed-sheets on his face and Mark can’t avoid sniggering into his palm.

Donghyuck quirks a brow at him. “What’s so funny?”

Mark is saved thanks to their coach as Yuhno calls for the team to gather up — but Donghyuck doesn’t miss the opportunity to slap Mark’s butt as a retaliation as they walk up to the court.

They’re divided into two teams to play a practice game. Mark is positioned in the attack line as Donghyuck gets ready to serve. The ball passes with a sharp shot and the libero from the opposite team is caught off guard, sending it off court. Mark looks over his shoulder and gives him a proud smile which Donghyuck returns with taking his nonexistent-longhair off his shoulder. Mark chuckles as he focuses on the opponent team again.

The session goes harder than what they’ve expected. They’re still a bit stiff from the summer although they have been playing for almost most of it, but it’s not the same with a whole team. Still, Mark feels like he missed having a real game and enjoys the practice.

Unfortunately, their strength starts to fade as the game goes on. Mark laps for a very high set and after the jump, he lands on the heel of his foot and slips, knocking his knee against the floor. Mark screams when the pain reaches his whole body. He barely can move but manages to bring his bad leg to his chest like a protection reflex.

His teammates hurriedly crowd him.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Taeyong worriedly asks.

Donghyuck manages to make his way and bents over Mark, touching his shoulder and inspecting his afflicted face. Mark flinches away with gritted teeth, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“We need to take him to the infirmary.” The coach informs, squatted down next to the suffering player.

“I’ll carry him.” Donghyuck offers as he calls for Taeyong’s and Jaehyun’s help.

They try not to make a harsh move as they settle Mark on Donghyuck’s back, positioning his arms under Mark’s thighs protecting him from slipping. Donghyuck notices Mark circling his arms around his neck as he buries his face on Donghyuck’s shoulder, trying to hide his teary eyes —Mark has always been difficult with showing his feelings to others.

Donghyuck senses a wet spot growing on his shoulder but doesn’t mention it, instead he grabs Mark more securely as he makes their way to the infirmary.

 

Mark exhales as he suppresses a sob, fingers tight around his brushed knee.

“Has it been giving you a headache for a while?” The nurse asks, taking off the blue gloves and tossing them into the bin after inspecting Mark’s knee.

“I—It has been fine for a while, but it’s not fully healed.”

And the truth finally comes out. Mark made a bad move at the beginning of his senior year and end up injuring his knee, the doctor said it wasn't that serious, but it would hurt from time to time. Mark couldn’t admit it when the scholarship arrived because then he could have lost it. His knee has been behaving well anyway so mentioning it didn’t look like a big deal. Still, he knows it was wrong, it was crucial information.

The nurse nods as she clicks the back of a pen and starts writing down. Donghyuck is stiff next to Mark, just listening to the unveiling conversation.

“I’m not going to lie to you,” She straightens and looks at him with pity as it’s her job to give the bad news. “It doesn’t look good,” She points out, and Mark feels tears filling up his eyes again. “But it’s better if you get that scanned.”

Bringing his arm up, Mark hides his eyes behind his forearm as tears start dripping again. Bottom lip caught between trembling teeth as his chin quivers. His head is filled with thoughts of having to quit the team and losing his scholarship, the one that he has been fighting for for years. It’s too soon to give up on his dream of becoming a professional player.

Donghyuck hesitantly grabs his other hand, it’s sweaty and shaky but he doesn’t mind. Mark doesn’t pull away either and they set on a comfortable silence as they wait for the ambulance. At some point, Mark ends up leaning on the other’s shoulder as Donghyuck caresses his back, trying to distract him from his agony.

Mark has dry tears on his face when the ambulance arrives and gets in with Donghyuck’s help. He steps out of the ambulance and Mark looks at him with glistering eyes and wet eyelashes as if he wants to say something but the words are stuck on his throat.

Donghyuck smiles lightly at him as if understanding whatever he’s trying to convey.

They’re still bad with words.

 

❈

 

Life without volleyball sucks. It sucks even more because Mark has to deal with a big ass cast that reaches his whole leg and restricts him from doing almost everything. Mark wants to throw his crutches into the sun.

“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Jaehyun inquires as he sits next to him. He lifts his hand and points to Mark while yelling _“poor baby, he’s lonely!”_ when Taeyong demands him to take his ass to the court again. Actually it’s just the perfect coverage for a sneaky rest.

After staying caged in his dorm for days, Mark decided that fuck it, he needed to get out of his dorm or he would become crazy — mostly because Jeno took that as an opportunity to talk even more about Renjun, like if he didn’t do it on a daily basis anyway. So Mark determined he pretty much prefers to be in the gym watching the team even if the green monster crawls in his insides.

Yuta joins them as he pats Mark’s back, ignoring Taeyong glaring from the distance. “Admit it, you can’t live without us.”

“In what universe?”

Mark is thankful he has that stupid cast because Yuta is more than ready to give him a taste of his fist. Yuta retracts his lifted hand when Jaehyun murmurs _‘he’s an invalid, you can’t hit an invalid’_.

“I’m not an invalid, what the hell,” No one pays him attention because they’re discussing whether if he still deserves it.

Looking past those two bickering fools, Mark spots Donghyuck making his way to them and immediately gulps. Heat creeps up Mark’s collar reaching his ears when the other gives him a small smile.

The thing is: Mark is screwed.

It’s not like he has been avoiding Donghyuck for the past two weeks — but he kind of was.

Mark was embarrassed as hell when his thoughts were finally in place after the unfaithful long day and realized his actions. Mark’s not one of making skinship easily and there were too much for someone that just started a friendship. It didn’t help either that Donghyuck sent him a message during the night asking how he was feeling. Mark felt his insides stirring up uneasily as his face grew brightly red. Donghyuck caring and worrying over him made Mark feel unsettled.

“Hey,”

“Hi.” Mark replies, hand coming up as a greeting. It’s awkward and he’s making it even more awkward with his hand up there. He tries to dissimulate and takes it down, ruffling his own hair.

Instead of looking mad, Donghyuck seems amused — maybe it’s because Mark’s face may look like a tomato by now. Mark would protest but he deserves the embarrassment.

“How long?” Donghyuck nods towards Mark’s casted leg.

“Four months,”

Donghyuck clicks his tongue, “Sorry for that.”

Squatting down, Donghyuck places his chin on Mark’s good knee and looks up to him, shiny eyes boring on his own. Mark wishes he could stop blushing for once but even the rots of his hair are burning. The restless feeling is back and everything is just too much. Help.

“You okay?” Donghyuck asks as if sensing his tangle of thoughts.

It’s the same question Donghyuck asked him almost two years ago and still he doesn’t have an answer for it.

Mark’s glad Donghyuck doesn’t ask him what happened during those two weeks when he declared himself dead and out of reach.

“It’s me or we’re being blurred in the background?”

“We are.”

It’s not like they’re ignoring Yuta and Jaehyun — they’re still sitting next to them even if they were tuned off — but Donghyuck is looking at him with too much intensity that Mark just can’t look away.

“It just sucks, I can’t do anything and we’re going to be behind with our practice.” Mark whines, defeated with the situation.

Donghyuck rolls his eyes and takes his chin off Mark, placing his hands behind his back with his arms stretched up for support. “Don’t worry for that, we can plan strategies and I’ll ask a newbie to help me out.”

“You sure?”

“Definitely,” Donghyuck’s smile looks so reassuring.

Mark hesitates but agrees anyway. Somewhat he feels like he can lean on Donghyuck even if their friendship is still fresh. Even so, Donghyuck has probed to care and wanting their coordination to work out, Mark has no right to doubt him. But Mark doesn’t want to make Donghyuck work more than what he already has to.

 

 

It becomes their new daily thing. Whenever the team has a break, Donghyuck sneaks out and joins Mark on the benches. Mark feels guilty for taking his free time but he’s thankful that someone takes the boredom out of him. The other teammates make him company too but Mark feels more relaxed whenever Donghyuck is around, even if it makes his insides burn with an undesired feeling, one very different from the one he used to feel.

Donghyuck is cross-legged in front of Mark, his burgundy sweatpants adorned with white lines on the sides rile up around his ankles, showing his socks full of tiny bunnies. He carries an inedible black pen in his hand and is scribbling on Mark’s cast leg.

Mark doesn’t notice Donghyuck writing ‘LOSER’ with big fat words on one of the sides of his cast because he’s too focused looking at Donghyuck’s eyelashes. Mark doesn’t know when it started but sometimes he catches himself staring and noticing things about the other that wasn’t important two weeks ago. Donghyuck has really nice cheekbones and a few moles scattered around his face that Mark finds quite endearing. But Mark really loves his eyelashes, they’re so long and look so cute against his che—

“Your eyelashes are so pretty.”

Realization hits him when Donghyuck glances up at him with shock evident on his features. He looks as puzzled as Donghyuck with his sudden outburst, eyes too round almost falling out. Mark avoids eye contact and fixes them on his lap instead.

He’s digging his own grave; there is not room for Jeno to make the dirty work.

“Were you staring, Mark Lee?” Donghyuck teases and Mark groans. Obviously he wasn’t going to miss this opportunity, his kindness has a limit.

“No.”

“Sure,”

No one is buying it, not even himself so he doesn’t try fighting it.

Donghyuck takes the marker’s cap off again with a pop and starts scribbling again. This time, he chooses a more visible place to write his masterpiece. Across Mark’s thigh is now written: ‘I **♡**  Donghyuck’s eyelashes’.

“What the— I’ve to wear this for four months!”

“Boy, my eyelashes are going to be pretty for longer than that.”

And Mark can’t refute it.

Later, Mark wishes he did though. Almost two seconds after Donghyuck returned to the court, Yuta points out how it was an evident fact and Jaehyun agrees. Looks like the whole team have noticed his staring demeanor —and here was Mark thinking he was being subtle. Who loved it the most was undeniable his asshole roommate aka his best friend, Jeno. He took a photo for future ‘wedding stuff’.

 

 

It was a bad idea.

Their new practice sessions continue with the help of Lucas, a new member that’s far too tall, too kind and too handsome for Mark’s liking. He swears he’s not jealous that Donghyuck’s attention is being taken away from him, Mark prefers to define it as an auto-defensive way of disliking someone that’s trying to take his position in the team and that’s why his glares are justified.

Yuta calls bullshit.

Today Mark is feeling especially whiny. His tongue darts out over his dry lips as he observes Lucas commenting something while Donghyuck laughs, ball tucked under his arm when it should be flying somewhere because they should be practicing.

Mark is annoyed.

“Donghyuck!”

Said boy looks at him briefly, bringing a hand up with his index finger extended as if saying ‘one minute’. Mark is having none of that. He knows he’s being a crybaby but his butt hurts from being in that stupid bench for hours and his pride is a bit shattered so when Mark yells again, he doesn’t feel that guilty.

“I’m feeling unwell!”

It’s a big fat lie but he got Donghyuck’s attention anyway.

Donghyuck jerks his head towards him and drops the volleyball behind himself letting it bounce away. He jogs until he reaches Mark and bents down, hands on his covered knees as his eyes inspect Mark’s face.

“Are you alright?”

Pink dust Mark’s cheeks with the sudden attention — maybe he’s starting to feel a bit guilty for his childish behavior.

“Let me,“ Donghyuck places his hand under Mark’s bangs to determine his temperature. Mark doesn’t need to do it though; he already knows he’s burning.

“You’re a bit warm, maybe you’ve a fever.”

Straightening, Donghyuck looks over his shoulder and informs Lucas that they’re done for today. Donghyuck pushes his sweaty bangs away and rummages his sport bag in search of his fruity shampoo.

“I’m going to take a quick shower before we leave, okay?”

Mark nods and pulls at the end of his grey hoodie’s sleeves, covering his hands. He observes Donghyuck’s retracting back before glancing at a bending Lucas collecting the volleyballs.

If Mark’s completely honest, Lucas is a great boy. He’s very amiable and connected almost immediately with the whole team. The thing is, that’s exactly why Mark hates him. Donghyuck laughs too much whenever he’s around and Mark finally understands how Jeno feels when he refers to Donghyuck as ‘best friend stealer’ — because that’s exactly what they are. Friends. Of course. There is absolutely no other reason.

Donghyuck showers in record time. Not even fifteen minutes later he appears with damp wet hair and shoves everything in his bag before letting it hang around his shoulder, across his back.

“Ready?” He asks and searches for Mark’s crutches, helping him to get onto his feet.

The stairs outside the gymnasium’s entrance are agonizing, but Donghyuck’s eyes focusing on his steps just to be ready in case Mark slips, are worth it.

“Donghyuck,”

A hum leaves Donghyuck’s lips as his stare is still down.

“I’m hungry.”

Donghyuck shifts his gaze up and chuckles, “I don’t think I’m being well paid for this amount of babysitting.”

“Hey!” Mark complains, but he’s glad it’s the last step of the endless stairs. “Isn’t my presence enough?”

Taking advantage of the situation, Donghyuck flicks Mark’s forehead. “I guess I can’t ask for more.”

There is this indistinct glint on Donghyuck’s eyes that Mark doesn’t quite understand but it disappears before he can point it out. Mark wants to ask him if there is anything else he wants — because Mark would give him the moon — but Donghyuck has already his hands tucked on his sweatpants’ pockets and is complaining about how chilly the weather has become. Mark doesn’t want him to catch a cold so he decides to save it for another time.

 

 

The sound of keys tingling in his dorm’s door echoes through their living room and Jeno walks towards it as his black watch is being placed on his wrist.

“Where the hell have you b— oh,” Jeno pauses when the first face he sees on his doorsteps is from Donghyuck, keys in hand and making room for Mark to come in. “OH,” Jeno says louder when acknowledgment sinks in.

“Hey,” Mark calls as he places the crutches on the wall and leans on Donghyuck for support.

Jeno looks at them walking in and taking a seat on their couch without saying a word. He knows there is something fishy going on because the amount of time they spend together says a lot — but Mark is a secretive bitch and doesn’t spill anything. What Jeno doesn’t know is that Mark is more lost than what he is.

Still, Jeno thinks he’s going to play the best friend role and settles for an escapade. Mark can’t say he doesn’t deserve to drink his self-made orange juice anymore. “I think Jaemin wants me to join his pizza night,”

Mark scoffs from the couch, shifting around trying to find a comfortable position. “I doubt it.”

“Yeah, me too,” Jeno replies, tucking his Converses in. “But I’m leaving!”

Before disappearing, Jeno slips his face between the gap of the door and gives a thumbs up to his best friend. Mark quirks a brow at whatever idiotic idea Jeno came up with this time but forgets about it as he notices from the corner of his eye Donghyuck walking towards his kitchen.

“Where are you going?”

“Didn’t you say you were hungry?” Donghyuck replies, passing the doorframe.

It clicks.

“Are you going to make me dinner?!” His voice comes out a bit high pitched because he may be a bit excited —just a tiny bit. Mark can hear Donghyuck laughing and he frowns, red cheeks making a comeback.

“Yeah, I’m an amazing cook, you know.” Donghyuck raises his voice a bit so it can be hear in the living room.

“You sure? I’m scared I’ll be poisoned,”

“Boy, my food can be sold in restaurants.”

Mark scoffs and places his hands behind his head. “I’ll have to judge it.”

 

Another full spoon makes its way into his mouth as he tries to keep his head down. Mark is trying his best to hide the glee feeling coming from the delicious food. He can sense Donghyuck smirking on his side and he’s not going to give him what he wants.

“So, what do you say?” Donghyuck asks, laying his chin on his hands as his elbows are placed on the kitchen’s table.

Mark hums, avoiding giving a decent answer that would give him away.

“I’ll take that as the best meal you’ve ever had.”

Mark chokes on his food and Donghyuck laughs as he reaches for a napkin and launches it to Mark.

“You’re so full of yourself,” Mark manages to say after coming off his coughing fist, voice a bit hoarse. “But okay, I’ve to admit it’s good, really good.”

Donghyuck is pleased, a big grin spreading on his face.

Mark wants to poke his cheek because ugh, he’s so adorable — but Mark doesn’t even try making a move because since when does he define Donghyuck as adorable? Forget it, Mark doesn’t want to know.

There is a cute sound coming from Donghyuck’s pocket and he reaches for his phone, chuckling at whatever he just read. Mark looks at him sideways while eating the remaining food.

“Who is it?” He asks out of curiosity.

“Renjun,” Donghyuck points out casually, then realizes that maybe Mark doesn’t know who he is. “He was in my volleyball team in high school, the blonde, tall one?”

“Ah yeah, the cute one,” Mark adds as he reaches for his water. Of course he knows who Renjun is, Jeno makes sure he doesn’t forget about him. Mark’s halfway from drinking his water when he notices Donghyuck intensely looking at him. “What?”

There is a pause as Donghyuck takes his time to _glare_ at him.

“Are you into Renjun?”

Mark chokes again. He needs to stop doing that, his throat is starting to hurt. “No!” He abruptly specifies. “Definitely not. Really, not my type.”

He forgot that’s how their team called Renjun because whenever Jeno was daydreaming from the other side of the court and someone asked him what he was looking at, Jeno always replied with ‘to the cute one’ and the nickname stuck. Not that Mark was interested in Renjun in any kind of way.

Donghyuck doesn’t look satisfied at all and Mark adds his next words just to save himself. “Do you want Jeno to kill me?”

The frown on Donghyuck’s forehead disappears and he actually starts laughing. Mark sighs in relief even though he had to sell his best friend’s ass.

“Oh yeah, forgot about it,” Donghyuck adds, still half laughing. “He was a total creep. The coach even warned us to stay away from him after he came to our bench.”

“I’m not surprised.”

Mark still doesn’t know why he wants Donghyuck to be aware that he’s not into Renjun nor anyone else, but he’s content that the boy next to him is beaming again.

 

❈

 

Four months pass by between a bunch of flying balls and texts at midnight that no one asked for, and Donghyuck clearly didn’t.

**Whiny baby [03:14 AM]**

if apple made a car, would it have windows?

**Donghyuck [03:19 AM]**

can you like actually fucking sleep

thanks

**Whiny baby [03:20 AM]**

is it possible to create artificial stupidity?

**Donghyuck [03:22 AM]**

oh god it’s three in the fucking morning

cut this crap

**Whiny baby [03:22 AM]**

then why are you up huh

**Donghyuck [03:23 AM]**

forgot to put it in silent mode and you woke me up

**Whiny baby [03:24 AM]**

oh

sorry

go to sleep

sorry

**Donghyuck [03:25 AM]**

whatever

send me photos of puppies to compensate

 

And Mark doesn’t hesitate sending him a bunch of photos with cute puppies that he has saved for emergencies like this one. His phone pretty much yells at him that the memory is freaking full whenever he tries to save something else —Mark has to tell his classmates to send the documents from their classes to Jeno.

**Whiny baby [22:09 PM]**

tf jaemin wants me to pretend to be his bf to make his professor jealous

is that even legal

**Donghyuck [22:11 PM]**

lol

**Whiny baby [22:13 PM]**

thanks for the help

anyway looks like tomorrow ive a fake date w a fake bf w real money

isn’t it unfair

**Donghyuck [22:15 PM]**

not happening tho?

i’m coming over

**Whiny baby [22:17 PM]**

since when???

**Donghyuck [22:17 PM]**

since i said so

i want to watch spirited away

**Whiny baby [22:19 PM]**

again?????

**Donghyuck [22:19 PM]**

yep :) <3

 

 

**Mark [22:22 PM]**

sorry, cancel the fake thingy

donghyuck is coming over

**Jaemin [22:27 PM]**

wtffff can you stop being a whipped prick for a sec

 

 

That word keeps being thrown at him too much lately and Mark doesn’t know if he should feel offended.

“Whipped,” Yuta has said the first day of his comeback to the team as he passed behind him. Mark glared at his retracting back as he placed a soft, perfumed towel on Donghyuck’s bag.

 

 

Those four months away from the court have been the most boring months of his life — except for a certain redhead with a dazzling smile that made up for all the suffering.

The thing is, that free period also helped him to sort out new strategies to help the team and maybe the direction of his new found love life. Mark wanted to keep in denial with his boundless feelings for as long as the world lasted, but his chest was about to burst out whenever Donghyuck did something too adorable for his poor heart to handle. So yeah, those months also helped him to finally admit that he liked Donghyuck. At first it was a huge shock — just for him though, everyone else acted as if it was the most known thing in campus.

Getting in his back zero successful relationships, mostly because he barely dated anyway, Mark decided to ask for advice to his reliable, matured teammates. It was the worst thing to do though and Mark found about it just two seconds later.

“Pin him against the gymnasium’s wall,” Yuta had recommended.

Taeyong had planted his open hand on Yuta’s face, forcefully sending it away. “Okay, your suggestion is canceled.”

Someone else recommended a romantic dinner to go for a confession, but Mark can’t cook to save his life. The most rational one was Taeyong, suggesting he should wait and find out if Donghyuck liked him back — which everyone snorted because excuse you, aren’t them as equally obvious — but Mark seemed nervous and a bit hesitant so Taeyong guessed it was the best option for them.

Mark thought Donghyuck was being so nice because they have ‘known’ each other longer than the rest of the team and Donghyuck was an undeniable sweetheart so he took the duty of taking care of him — not because he felt the same way.

So here he is, perched in the bench and observing his self-proclaimed-god walking up to him.

Donghyuck ruffles Mark’s hair before reaching for his bag, a smile grows when he notices a towel that’s not his and takes out a black kneepad.

“Let’s get you ready.” Donghyuck announces, sitting on the floor right in front of Mark.

Donghyuck takes Mark’s right shoe off and slips the kneepad up until he’s satisfied with the perfect place. The kneepad is a bit larger than the usual one volleyball players wear; it goes from half his thigh until half his calf. Mark complained that he hates kneepads, he doesn’t feel as free — Donghyuck couldn’t care less.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Donghyuck gets up and pinches Mark’s nose when he notices his pout. “I’m not letting you play without it.”

At least Mark’s glad that he’s back to practice after having to suffer with rehabilitation. But there is this uneasy feeling coming from his right side in the form of Nakamoto Yuta that’s taking his bright day away. Yuta has been there looking at them, trying to cover it while tying his shoelaces — they must have a few knots by now.

“Question,” He shouts casually while walking up to them.

Mark’s bad feeling increases.

“Shoot,” Donghyuck replies.

Yuta’s mischievous glint doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Are you two dating?”

Mark chokes on air and bents down. His coughing fist is mixed with anger and he seriously wants to hit Yuta’s irritating face right now so Mark opts for ducking his exceedingly embarrassed-plus-enraged face to save a fight. Yuta pretty much knows they’re not dating —unfortunately— but he likes to mess around.

“We just got him back, do you want to send him back to death?” Donghyuck sounds amused with the situation and Mark wants to protest but Donghyuck is caressing his back with those soft hands and he’s just a goner.

“Smooth, really smooth,” Jaehyun adds. He was passing by and was suddenly interested in whatever was going on — this team is full of blabbers.

Mark seriously wonders why everyone wants to see him suffering.

“Hey, it’s not my fault they act all lovey-dovey, anyone can be _fooled_.”

Mark glares up at Yuta and sends him mental threats to shut the fuck up if he doesn’t want to see his anime collection burning in the campus’ main patio.

“So, is that a no?”

He even has the audacity of stirring up the _unmentionable_ subject.

Mark is about to throw a fit when Donghyuck beats him.

“Fuc—“

“Think whatever you want.”

_Wait._

_What?!_

Donghyuck gets up from the floor and pats his butt to get the dust off his new acquired track-suit before walking straight up to the court.

Mark and Yuta are left dumbfounded, mouths ajar as they look at his retracting back.

“Shit, he left that in the open.”

 

 

Actually, Mark doesn’t know if he’s grateful for Yuta’s infamous antics or not but since then Donghyuck has been acting unusual and he even dares to say a bit _flirty_. It was as if a new door was opened. At first it was subtle and Mark thought it was his desperate imagination that made him think Donghyuck reciprocated his feelings, but as time went by it was more than evident.

On Saturday’s mornings, Jeno and Mark usually go to the supermarket near the campus to get groceries. Most people are still dead from parties organized on Fridays so it’s a perfect timing.

After getting almost everything from the list —and ignoring Jeno’s ridiculous petitions— Mark goes in search of his more than healthy food — he prefers them with a lot of fiber and a lot of nothing else. Mark is happily comparing the ingredients of each cereal’s box when he hears a voice talking to him.

“Someone is looking fine today.”

Startled, Mark looks up to find a smiley Donghyuck. There is a pause because — _what?_ Mark is still processing the information.

“What?”

And as if his shameless statement wasn’t enough, Donghyuck has the decency of checking him up and down, finishing with crescent eyes and a shit-eating grin. Mark swears his erratic heartbeat can be heard in the whole supermarket. He’s just wearing a plain sweater too big for his slim frame and a pair of snug jeans. Damn, he should have dressed to impress.

“Nothing,” Donghyuck finally replies and grabs the cereal’s box from his frozen hands. “What are you looking at?”

A few seconds pass by before Mark regains his composure, clearing his throat. “I’m comparing the percentages.”

“I’m sure all the ugly-looking food are pretty healthy.”

Mark grabs de box back, feeling a bit offended. “Some of us care about our health, you know.”

“Yeah whatever,” Donghyuck walks next to the shelves in search of the most inducing heart attack cereals. “My body still looks fine with the amount of junk food I eat, don’t you think?”

And Mark would be glad if that last question wasn’t added because he’s blushing and it’s too early for this. “Um,” Mark finds himself losing the ability to speak quite often whenever Donghyuck is around and no, he’s not proud of it. “I guess?”

“You guess?” Donghyuck presses, playfully.

“Ugh, stop it.” There is a limit that Mark can handle before exploding and his red face is a clear indication of bordering that line. Donghyuck has been pushing his limits lately and Mark needs answers, not questions.

Donghyuck laughs before eying the cereals drowning in chocolate in front of him and just like that he makes his mind. “Mark, get me that one.”

“I highly disapprove it,” But makes his way to grab it anyway. Mark would be a hypocrite if he doesn’t admit enjoying whatever full-of-calories food Donghyuck shares with him, so he can’t judge — their coach though, he does judge, he even makes them run around more laps than the rest of the team.

Searching for the next item on the list, vegetables —much to Donghyuck’s despair—, they end up finding Jeno casually leaning against the open freezer with Renjun in front of him. Their conversation looks animated and Mark quirks a brow at the attempt of looking cool from his best friend.

Mark is about to open his mouth to say something related with feeling second-hand-embarrassment right now, when Donghyuck grabs his arm and abruptly pulls him to the next aisle, away from the duo. Mark looks at him a bit disconcerted but Donghyuck hushes him.

Dropping his voice and getting closer as if it was a state secret, Donghyuck utters, “Look, as much as I’m against Mr. Creep drooling over my best friend,“ Donghyuck rolls his eyes for emphasis. ”For some odd reason that I can’t figure out, Renjun likes him back so just let them be.”

“But I need my lettuce!” Instead of defending his roommate, Mark reproaches the important thing at hand.

Donghyuck snarls. “No one cares about your green cardboard.”

“But—“ Donghyuck places his index finger over Mark’s pinky lips and a flush immediately spreads. Mark wishes his resistance would be stronger.

“No buts.”

Begrudgingly, Mark drags his feet behind Donghyuck, pushing his cart along.

Mark’s not surprised when they end up in the aisle named as the kids’ paradise. It’s filled with colorful wrappings and junk food right and left.

“Choose one,” Donghyuck brings up two different boxes with bonbons, one of them is from Nestle and another one from Lindt. For Mark, they’re all the same.

“None?”

“Okay, both.” Donghyuck determines after zero reflecting, throwing them into the cart.

Mark doesn’t know if he realized it but… “You know it’s my cart, right?”

“Yeah,” Donghyuck doesn’t even bother looking back, his eyes are too focused on whatever he should pick up next. “That’s why.”

“What does that even mean?” There is not an answer but Mark figures it’s because lately Donghyuck stays at his apartment more than at his own. Mark is not complaining though, not when Donghyuck is all smiles around him.

There is a big standee with a bunch of sweet of all sorts and colors at the end of the aisle and Mark makes a forceful round, trying not to hit anything and runs away.

“Mark!” Donghyuck yells and jogs behind him, pouting. It’s an endearing view but Mark needs to be strong, at least for once.

After successfully getting away from the calories island, with a few expected protests in between, they keep on with the list.

Mark thinks Donghyuck must be mad at him because he has been oddly quiet for a few minutes but then he senses Donghyuck’s hand grabbing his elbow. Mark looks to his left just to find the most lovable blush coloring Donghyuck’s cheeks as he focuses his attention on the beverages as they pass by. Mark slows down his pace and Donghyuck slides his arm in the crook of Mark’s arm, bringing him closer and leaning on, cheek against the side of Mark’s shoulder.

Sometimes, Mark feels bad that Donghyuck is still afraid of initiating skinship with him because well, Mark is known for not being so fond of it — but Mark seriously wishes he would be brave enough to show him that he doesn’t mind, not when it’s with him.

 

❈

 

The sound of a volleyball coming in contact with the wall echoes through the empty gymnasium. Mark hits it against the wall and then bents down to pick the volleyball up again, following a pattern. It must be two or three in the morning, Mark is not quite sure. He has been there for hours trying to put his mind in a peaceful state.

Mark has been overthinking on what level his relationship with Donghyuck is. Yeah, they’re teammates and friends, but that last word seems to be lacking something. Donghyuck’s actions have been confusing him to no end and he’s not sure whether a confession would be appreciated — blame his insecure side for this.

Hitting the ball one last time, Mark catches it after the comeback and tucks it under his arm, letting out heavy puffs of air after the continuous exercise. His body is screaming at him to stop so he stays there, numb while trying to catch his breath.

Mark is scared. He doesn’t want a gone bad confession and end up with an awkward atmosphere whenever they have to practice together. But if he’s quite honest, Mark doesn’t know if he can keep pushing his feelings away, they’ve grown to an extent that he’s sure Donghyuck must have noticed. Hell, he didn’t even try to hide them that much lately either.

Letting the volleyball roll away, Mark drags his feet towards his belongings and fishes his phone out of his sport bag’s pocket. Notifications appear on the upper part of the screen, Mark ignores the team’s group chat spamming about the next frat party and goes straight for the worthy one. Mark chuckles when he reads Donghyuck’s message and then checks the time, it was more than two hours ago.

**Donghyuck [00:22 AM]**

let me spoil you ahs’ last episode pleaseeee

 

Apprehensively Mark catches his bottom lip between his teeth, thumb hovering his phone’s screen as the message flashes back at him. He has this urge of wanting to say screw it and let everything out because his feelings have been hitting him like a truck lately, coming up like hot waves even with the smallest thing — so in a last second thought he starts typing.

 

**Whiny baby [02:47 AM]**

i really want to see your pretty face right now

 

 

Well, it’s done.

Embarrassment kicks him after perceiving that yeah, he kind of exposed himself.  And that was _corny and cheesy as hell and freaking old-fashioned_ — that’s so not him. _Fuck._ Mark looks at his feet waiting for the Earth to swallow him up.

But that’s what he wanted anyway, at least two seconds ago before realizing that it’s none of his dreams and reality actually has consequences. Mark is not sure anymore whether his urge of bravery was the best option. He groans out loud. It’ll be hard to come up with a good excuse if he wants to play dumb.

Mark lies on the parquet floor, long limbs sprawled as his forearm comes up to cover his eyes whilst his face grows red, reaching his ears. Phone placed over his chest because he doesn’t want to see what he just did but doesn’t want to keep it away either. It’s a confusing feeling.

Actually Mark doesn’t even expects an answer, at least not immediately because Donghyuck must be soundly sleeping right now but still he can’t stop hoping. Mark knows he’ll be embarrassed as hell when the reply comes but — Mark seriously needs to take everything off his chest, it’s consuming so much space and energy.

His phone vibrates against his ribcage and instead of reading it away, Mark waits — not so long because he’s kinda dying right now.

 

**Donghyuck [02:56 AM]**

are you drunk

**Whiny baby [02:59 AM]**

forget it

**Donghyuck [03:01 AM]**

Mark

is everything alright

**Whiny baby [03:03 AM]**

i just want to hug you

 

There is a pause in their conversation and Mark checks if his message was sent. Well, it must have caught Donghyuck off guard, he can’t blame him. Mark asking for skinship? Just once in a blue moon.

After a few minutes his phone buzzes against the floor and Mark snatches it right away.

 

**Donghyuck [03:09 AM]**

where are you

**Whiny baby [03:10 AM]**

gym

**Donghyuck [03:10 AM]**

be there in five

 

 _Five minutes._ That’s all Mark has to compose his agitated self and not screw it all over. In fact Donghyuck will take more than just five minutes because the dorms are placed a bit far away from the gymnasium but _still_ , it means Mark doesn’t have much time to think whatever he needs to say.

His phone ends up being thrown away and Mark prays for it to survive his squealing outburst. Every cell in his body is screaming because it’s really happening and he didn’t even think about it when sort of unconsciously typed that message. But he can’t back out now, Mark is not even sure if he’ll have the guts to admit something like that again.

Exhaling, Mark demands his alarmed system to calm the fuck down and tries to order his messy thoughts.

Mark lies down again, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling on his back from his sweaty t-shirt.

Okay so first of all Mark’s going to apologize to Donghyuck because it’s pretty late and he made him walk down here at an ungodly hour — but maybe it also serves as an excuse to walk him to his dorm, only if Donghyuck doesn’t end up slapping him, of course. Secondly yeah, he’s going to do it, he has to confess. And that’s the worst-best part of it all.

The gymnasium’s door cracks open and his eyes land on Donghyuck’s shadowed figure coming through it, hood hovering his head and hands deep down on his oversized grey hoodie. He’s still wearing his pajama pants filled with puppies and ugh, he’s not making it easy for Mark from the beginning.

Mark feels his chest constricting and he tries extra hard to remember how to breathe. His heart restarts, beating faster than ever as Donghyuck approaches him.

“Hey.”

Mark sits up, outstretched arms supporting him. “Sup.”

The air feels heavy as they avoid eye contact. Usually Donghyuck is the one filling the empty awkward spaces but Mark can’t blame him for keeping silent. Mark was the one declaring he wanted to hug his teammate and maybe he’s waiting for it, but his body is pretty much stupefied and glued to the floor.

Mark catches Donghyuck’s Vans entering his vision’s radium and lifts his head.

“Ouch,” Comes out of his lips, hand lifting up to caress his flicked forehead.

Donghyuck retracts his hand and chuckles.

“What were you doing lying there? You’re going to catch a cold, fool.”

Mark discerns a glimpse of a blush creeping on Donghyuck’s cheeks before he walks away.

Donghyuck moves around the deserted gymnasium picking up the discarded balls and marches towards the cart placed in the corner to collect them. Mark gets up and hesitantly follows him. The rumble of his internal narrative is sending away the courage he managed to bottle up for the past ~~months~~ weeks. So he shuts if off and embraces himself for a good outcome.

“Donghyuck,”

Mark’s voice flattens in the gymnasium. He’s not even sure that Donghyuck heard him until seconds later —minutes for Mark’s distressed mind. There is a hum coming from Donghyuck’s lips as an answer, back turned while throwing the volleyballs in the cart.

“I like you.”

Silence.

All Mark manages to perceive is Donghyuck’s paralyzed back and he’s starting to regret it as seconds pass by. The constant feeling of total failure grows up and Mark is two seconds away from booking a flight to the farthest country. He has never missed hearing Donghyuck’s voice as much as right now.

“It took you forever to confess and you say it to _my back?_ ”

_Wait._

Donghyuck turns around and Mark blinks because what, he looks pissed. Secondly, seems like Donghyuck has known about his not so subtle crush and never said anything, talk about friendship. Thirdly, it seriously is not going the way he planned, someone give him a map, he’s lost.

“Um,” Mark mumbles. “Sorry?”

“Say it again,” Donghyuck demands.

_Aren’t confessions filled with fluffiness and pinky cheeks?_

Mark is positive he doesn’t feel as confident with Donghyuck’s glistering eyes boring on his own but Mark clears his throat and sucks it up.

“I like you,” He repeats. “I really like you, like a lot actually, more than a lot maybe? I don’t know but I—“

Donghyuck’s lips twitch before a grin breaks out and then he starts laughing. “I get it,” He says, pulling the hem of Mark’s t-shirt while attempting to bring him closer. “I get it.”

Mark’s outworn sneakers finally move and accomplish, stepping closer and staying less than a foot away from Donghyuck. He looks even better up this close, pink cheeks as he dreamed and soft eyes fixed on him. Mark can count every eyelash in this proximity and he’s positive a complaint is not about to come — but Mark just want answers, waiting is not making anything to his insecure self.

“I like you too.”

Okay so maybe from now on fireworks are going to be overrated for Mark because he’s kinda exploding right now. He’s screaming internally with so much force that he has to seal his lips to make sure any of it comes out.

But Mark is Mark, so instead of portraying any of his overwhelming feelings, he replies instead:

“Good.”

“ _Good_ ,” Donghyuck mocks and laughs, circling his arms around Mark’s torso. “What am I going to do with you?”

Mark tries not to squeak because damn, _Donghyuck is truly hugging him_.

They’ve matching blushing cheeks and a warm overpowering feeling floods their chests because what started as a disastrous confession ended up successfully. Mark scrunches up his nose when Donghyuck’s hair tickles his chin but he doesn’t mind, Mar has never feel as comfortable. But _still_ , Mark keeps his arms glued to his sides, hands stinging for contact.

“I’m sweaty; let me take a shower first.”

Donghyuck whimpers out loud.

“Stop ruining the moment,” Donghyuck complains, words a bit muffled with Mark’s t-shirt. “And hug me.”

So without a doubt, Mark brings his arms up and wraps Donghyuck tightly.

_Freaking finally._

They stay like that for a few minutes, Mark’s cheek caressing Donghyuck’s head while their limbs are all tangled on each other.

It doesn’t take long for Donghyuck to push him away though, nose pinched between his index finger and thumb as he manifests that Mark was _for once_ right and a shower would come in handy. It wasn’t a complete lie, but Donghyuck just needed a moment to bring up the collar of his hoodie until it covered his mouth and then _scream_.

He has been waiting for so long.

 

❈

 

“Where are you going?”

Jeno observes his best friend pacing around the dorm, white socked feet padding against the surface. Mark shoves his bus-card between his teeth and slips his arm into the hole of his black leather jacket.

“Buffy,” Mark replies, words muffled with the card on his teeth.

Jeno figures out he’s trying to say he’s _busy_ to even spare a second and inform his best friend about his whereabouts. Excuse you but Jeno is a bit offended, he didn’t offer to be a butler in kindergarten so Mark would stop complaining and crying unbearably just to be disrespected like this.

A pair of tickets catch his attention when Mark push them into his pocket.

“Are those tickets for Marvel’s last movie?”

“Yep,” Mark hurriedly says, touching the back pockets of his jeans to check if he’s carrying his phone.

Jeno narrows his eyes while folding his arms against his chest. “Don’t tell me you’re going to the movies with Donghyuck.”

Mark snorts. “Okay, I won’t tell you.”

“No, wait, are you seriously going with him?” Jeno grabs Mark’s arm before he can reach the corridor. “When I saw you buying them online I thought they were for us! You and me, your bestie, the one that covered you when you wanted to eat sand.”

Mark’s brows furrow. “Do I have to be thankful for that?”

“Obviously, yeah,”

Mark’s shakes Jeno’s hands away because this is just _ridiculous_ and catches his keys placed on the small table next to the door.

“Okay, one last question.”

Mark groans not so subtly but Jeno ignores him anyway.

“If something happens between you and Donghyuck, you’ll tell me, right?”

There is a pause. Mark is halfway tucking his shoes in when it catches him off guard and then restarts his task.

The thing is, Jeno doesn’t know anything about Mark’s new relationship because they decided to keep it hidden from the blabbers until they sorted out whatever they actually were — their relationship doesn’t have an established status yet because they want to get to know each other better _in a romantic way_ , not like their brotherly hang outs and volleyball nights. Mark is not proud of keeping it from his best friend though, at least not after Jeno had to bear with his stubborn I-don’t-want-to-admit-my-feelings phase — and it was quite annoying in Jeno’s perspective honestly. But maybe it is too soon to deal with an erratic Yuta pointing out everything they did just for pure evilness.

“Nothing is going to happen,”

_Because it already happened._

Taking advantage of his height, Jeno peers down accusatorily at his best friend — seriously, Jeno’s just a few centimeters taller but he likes to show it off, Mark calls him out for being a dipshit.

“You’re not hiding anything from me, right?”

“Why would I?”

“Because you’ve been such a secretive bitch lately and you— wait!”

Mark managed to slip out of their dorm while Jeno rambled. Jeno grabs the door while giving a glance to his socked feet, Moomin looking back at him. Mark laughs while jogging away, leaving a distressed Jeno behind.

“I won’t let you set a foot in this apartment!”

 

❈

 

 

The second the door opens, students start to rambunctiously slip out of the classroom and flood the corridors. Mark observes the literature students walking out while waiting for a certain redhead to show up.

Taking his phone out, Mark checks the time for what looks like a millionth time. A few students lock eyes with him and Mark ducks his head down while analyzing his black Converses distractedly, his fingers flickering impatiently in the confines of his jacket’s pockets.

“Mark?”

His head shots up and damn, his heartbeat starts speeding up right away. His insides churn a little watching Donghyuck looking effortlessly cute in a pink sweater along with black jeans.

“What are you doing here?”

Coming to his senses, Mark clears his throat and straightens up. “I was casually passing by and said hey, isn’t Donghyuck’s building near here?”

“Casually,” Donghyuck comments while quirking a brow. It looks like a déjà vu.

“Yeah,”

Closing the distance, Donghyuck brings his face impossibly close and ducks down. Mark feels heat rising up to his face while stays still.

“You smell really nice,”

Embarrassment balls in Mark's throat and no matter how hard he swallows, it refuses to dissipate. Mark’s hands fists and then notices pointed peaks pricking his palm. He takes out the tickets and shoves them into Donghyuck’s palms, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

“Marvel?”

“Yep,” Mark shrugs, looking absently at his cuticles.

Donghyuck’s eyes are so round as they glister with too much excitement. Mark mentally pats his own back for doing a good job.

“I love Marvel,”

“I know.”

Donghyuck bits his bottom lip, eyes low and lidded, filled with adoration. Mark doesn’t know what Donghyuck could possibly be thinking about, but he’s positive that after eying those teeth sink in the flesh of his lip he just wants to kiss him until they’re both out of breath. But obviously he won’t do it because they’re not in that state of their whatever-labeled-relationship yet.

“When do you want to go to the movies?” Donghyuck asks, increasing his voice when a pair of rowdy students pass by.

“I was thinking we could go today?”

Donghyuck chuckles, the corner of his lip tugging up in a playful smirk. “I thought you were casually passing by? You’re totally trying to pull a date here. Sly Mark Lee.”

Heat quickly fills Mark’s neck and ears. He was never a good liar.

“I—Shut up.”

Mark rounds on his heels and starts walking on whatever direction while attempting to leave behind his humiliated self. Donghyuck joins him shortly after, laughing and Mark groans, struggling to ignore the fact that he embarrassed himself in front of his crush once again; he lost count of those unfortunate moments long ago.

Finally settling down to a more comfortable pace, Mark reaches out and pats Donghyuck’s shoulder. “Let me carry your backpack.”

“It’s okay, don’t wo—“

“I want to,” Mark declares.

Mark doesn’t even wait for a reply, already gripping a strap, gently slipping it off Donghyuck and accommodating it on his own shoulders.

“Thank you,”

Mark swifts his gaze and catches Donghyuck giving him a bashful, grateful smile pairing his soft brown eyes and pinkish tall cheekbones. _Shit._ Suddenly Mark feels a surge of shyness wash over him and his eyes lands on his Converses again, scrunching up his nose in a nervous habit.

All the cheesy stuff he hated and thought he would never do — are worth it.

“So, how was your day?” Mark finally asks, slipping between groups of students chatting on the corridor. He looks behind to make sure Donghyuck is still following him.

“Ugh, awful,” Donghyuck replies when they’re next to each other again. “I’ve so many essays and projects and shit, I don’t think there is material time to finish all of them before the due date.”

Mark tries to ignore the ticklish sensation flooding his chest whenever their hands touch briefly.

“You can ask for a day off practice,” Mark offers.

Donghyuck scoffs bitterly. “I doubt coach will even consider it for a second, all the important matches are coming up soon.”

Their hands keep touching and Mark is not even paying attention to their conversation anymore, mind already gone. His palms feel sweaty against his curled fingers and Mark dries them off on his jeans. Gulping the lump on his throat, Mark reaches out his pinky bringing Donghyuck’s hand closer and then engulfs it on his own.

Donghyuck’s hand is warmer than last time and it looks so small on his own. Mark didn’t even notice it when they were in the infirmary, a spiral of negative thoughts had encroached his thoughts when it looked like the end of his volleyball career, so it feels like it’s their first time holding hands.

The irregular hammering in his chest almost deadens him.

Mark doesn’t even dare to look to his right because he’s sure Donghyuck is porting a caddish grin ready to embarrass him but Mark ends up doing it anyway because seeing Donghyuck’s smile is more worth it.

Mark wasn’t wrong though, Donghyuck never leave pass an opportunity to mortify him. Playful lips half tugged up are already directed at him but the lovely red color in his cheeks gives Donghyuck away. Mark would point it out and make them equally embarrassed but decides to save their cute moment in a part of his chest where are all the adorable things Donghyuck does around him. It’s almost full.

 

❈

 

The volleyball season goes on and Mark is glad he made it on time to join the game during the beginning of the playoffs. He missed the practice matches with other universities while a long ass cast restrained him from playing.

Excitement fills his system whenever a game approach, but Mark also notices how Donghyuck’s anxious demeanor increases. They took their affection touches to a minimum whenever the team was around, but if Donghyuck looked too frustrated, Mark didn’t even doubt running up to him and try to calm him down.

Their dates also had to be left in a corner because the important matches arrived and there was no room for free nor romantic time, everything evolved around practice and studies. So whenever the team is too engaged listening to their coach, Mark usually sneaks around and stays next to Donghyuck, intertwining their fingers together and hiding them behind his back, keeping it away from their noisy teammates. Donghyuck calls him a fool more often than not, but still a smile always splits into his lips so Mark sees it as a good sign to keep doing so.

When it’s time for the last matches of the playoff, Donghyuck looks specially balked. His sets are not working out as well as he would like to — his hands get paralyzed when there is too much pressure — so he’s mostly mad at himself.

The night before one of the games, Mark walks up to his own bedroom and starts picking up his official outfit and everything he’s going to need for the match and tosses them into his sport bag. With that ready, Mark eyes his corkboard and picks a few post-its reminding him about his neglected assignments and throws them into the paper-bin next to his desk. Satisfied with the clear spot on the center of the corkboard, Mark reaches for his sport bag and outs his room.

Jeno eyes him suspiciously while Mark makes his way to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Donghyuck’s,” Mark absently replies.

“Don’t you have a match tomorrow?”

“Yeah, that’s why.”

Jeno doesn’t even question it further because _he knows_ even if he actually _doesn’t know_. So he observes his best friend zipping up his coat and embracing himself for the slap of cold air he’s about to get when he opens the door.

Don’t blame Mark for plagiarizing tomatoes’ color when Donghyuck doesn’t let him sleep on the couch how he has planned to, but instead pulling him into his room and trying to fit in a single bed that’s clearly not made for two grown up university students. Mark’s heartbeat lulls him to a much needed sleep — which is not a very nice discovery because Donghyuck takes that as an invitation to make Mark sleep over every night they have a game the next day. It inverses though, Mark is now the one with neglected sleep because his attention is more into a redhead sprawled all over his chest.

 

They don’t think low of their graduated teammates, actually they come often to cheer them up, but the team looks more balanced now, not because their skills exceed the laters, but because they’re well known hardworkers. Mark and Donghyuck’s synchronization is cutting a few points from their rival teams so they’re more than pleased — and so does their coach, that quite often hums in approval.

Without realization, they end up making it to the finals and Donghyuck might have squealed a bit when the scoreboard went up, showing the end of the match. After a more than deserved shower, he nibbled in a decent sugarcoated chocolate bar as a reward after having to quit his more than loved heart-attack-inducing food. Mark just chuckled and let him enjoy it, even working as his coverage whenever needed. Always gaining points as a good boyfriend-to-be.

The day of their last game doesn’t start as desired, missing their alarm and getting late to the bus — which ended up with their teammates teasing them because those disheveled hairstyles suggested a very interesting story — which unfortunately, they didn’t.

Placing his bag and Donghyuck’s into the compartment over their heads, after making sure it won’t drop out, Mark takes a seat next to Donghyuck and rummages for his iPod in the pockets of his tracksuit. Like a pattern whenever they have to take the official bus, Donghyuck places his head over Mark’s shoulder and tries to go back to whatever he was dreaming. Lately it has proven to not be a good thing though, mostly because Mark’s gaze instantly lands on Donghyuck’s peaceful face and scans it as if it was the most precious thing he has ever seen — which probably is.

His eyes drop to where they always end up going, Donghyuck’s lips. Mark wets his own, suddenly feeling dryer. He has been waiting to kiss those lips for a long time, but Mark’s saving it to a special occasion which seems to never come around because they’re too busy with volleyball to even go on dates. Trying to be romantic sucks.

So gulping a lump down, Mark averts his eyes and shuts them, focusing in the music rolling on his earbuds instead.

 

There is a similar feeling to when it was their final match in high school, but definitely this one exceeds the later. The gymnasium is enormous to encompass the audience congregated. Mark feels a shiver run down his spine with the magnitude of the situation and stays still in the entrance, causing a few teammates to almost knock him off.

“You okay?”

Mark looks over his shoulder to find a very exasperated Donghyuck fighting with his tangled headphones, just looking up briefly waiting for an answer. Mark chuckles, reaching to unravel the mess as Donghyuck gives up and just pouts.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just— I don’t know,”

“Too overwhelmed?” Donghyuck asks and Mark sighs.

Donghyuck steps closer and drags a hand through Mark's scalp, eyes immediately closing and visibly relaxing under the smoothing touches. Mark tries to push every doubt he has about the game from his mind and pretends that time has stopped around them. Donghyuck seriously knows how to soften him on every situation. When Mark reopens his eyes, they're a bit unfocused but quickly land on those almond shaped brown eyes that are already staring back at him. Mark leans even more on Donghyuck's touch as their fondly locked eyes say nothing but everything.

Looking past Mark’s broad shoulders, Donghyuck spots Yuta giving them a quizzical quirked brow but he couldn’t care less about their hidden-unlabeled relationship right now.

Their connection breaks when Mark looks sideways where their coach is yelling everyone to start warming up.

The leaders of both teams exchange polite handshakes as they get ready to enter the court. Mark pulls the waistband of his shorts a bit higher to make sure it won’t slip off and lets his official t-shirt drop over it, then he checks his kneepad. This time it’s shorter, just covering his knee. Mark chuckles as he notices Donghyuck eyeing it from the distance making sure it’s in the right place.

Mark and Donghyuck make it into the start lineup, going to the attack line and defense zone respectively.

Walking up to his assigned position at the front of the net, Mark scans absently the bleachers filled with a pumped audience and spots his best friend waving vigorously with a small white board with his number held up over his head, on his side Renjun waves less energetic and visibly more embarrassed. Mark quirks a brow and then realizes Jeno won’t discern it up there so he makes a L sign with his thumb and index finger and puts it under his chin. Jeno mimics him and winks for reassurance. Looks like Jeno wasn’t wasting his time either.

Looking away, Mark rounds when he senses someone tapping his shoulder.

“If your knee starts hurting, you better tell me,” Donghyuck threatens.

Mark rolls his eyes while a grin spreads. “Yes mom,”

Donghyuck pushes Mark’s shoulder playfully and makes his way to the back of the court, only to be stopped when Mark grabs his wrist and pulls him closer until Donghyuck’s face is shoved onto Mark’s chest. Bringing his arms up, Mark encircles them around Donghyuck’s shoulders and tightens as if he would convey all his feelings on that hug.

“You’ll do amazing,” Mark whispers into Donghyuck’s ear, nosing along his cheekbones and ending with a soft kiss on his temple.

Donghyuck blinks, a bit shocked with the sudden surge of affection and tries extra hard not to blush because they’re in the middle of a gymnasium with a bunch of people (probably looking at them) — so of course, that task fails and he flushes to the rot of his hair. Still, because Mark acting all clingy only happens once in a lifetime, Donghyuck buries his face on the welcoming warm from Mark’s chest and wraps his arms around Mark’s waist.

They only break apart when the referee gives them the odd eye because the game is about to start.

 

 

Donghyuck manages to land two points from the beginning on their scoreboard just with his services, giving them the momentary lead until the opponent libero finally catches up on his trick and lifts the ball up. Mark notes to make sure to show to Donghyuck how proud he’s after the game.

Unfortunately, the rival team warms up and initiates the counterattack, speeding up the points. Mark feels frustration pilling up on his guts as his spikes keep being blocked for the iron wall from the opponent team — also known as Chanyeol and Sehun from SME. Mark made sure to assist to every match just to check their excellent skills and be ready when the fateful moment arrived but obviously, a real game is always beyond imagination.

They’re not surprised then their coach calls for a time out when the gap increases to an embarrassing speed.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead quite forcefully, Mark throws the towel aside and plops abruptly on the bench. Donghyuck observes him from the corner of his eye but stays away, letting him calm down.

“If we keep on having difficulties with their defense on the net, gain points right from the service,” Their coach comments while the players nod.

“And Mark,” Yunho’s hard eyes land on him and Mark gulps. “If you keep being blocked I’m going to take you out.”

The cold words cut through his chest as if someone stabbed him. Mark nods robotically, mind already gone as more stress sums up.

The referee calls off the time out and the players flood the court again. Donghyuck looks worriedly after Mark’s slumped shoulders but takes his position at the back.

It doesn’t take long before Mark is replaced when another whack goes against the barrier and he curses under his breath.

As expected, the first set goes for the rival team after a few disastrous missed balls.

Donghyuck dries off the sweat consistent on his arms and looks at Mark sideways while he eagerly drowns his energizer drink. Drawing his feet towards him, Donghyuck bents down, affectionately rubbing Mark’s thigh.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Mark grunts, tossing aside the almost empty bottle. “Do I have to say it? They’re blocking everything!”

“They’re blocking everything because you're not paying attention to what's in front of your eyes.”

Mark pauses as his brows furrow. “What do you mean?”

Donghyuck takes his eyes away from Mark’s troubled features and goes for the kneepad, bringing it down. “Your knee is a bit swollen,” He points out and Mark snorts because it doesn’t look like an important subject right now.

Every block just made him demand higher sets, even if Donghyuck sent him disapproving looks, but Mark just wanted to pass the damned hurdle. Of course, his knee took all the pressure without him realizing.

“You’re going to stay benched for awhile, take that time to observe their weakness. They know where you are going to send the ball because you’re being too obvious.”

Patting his butt to get the dust off, Donghyuck makes his way to a mini fridge next to their bench and catches an ice pack. He places it over Mark’s bad knee before joining the team on the court, just looking back to mute _‘observe’_.

Reluctant, Mark stays benched and observes the game roll away. The blockers’ wall is almost perfect and Mark snarls dejectedly. It takes almost half a set to finally find out a few opens and Mark begs to be put into the game again.

“Begging much?” Donghyuck teases and bends down, hands on both knees.

 Mark half smiles and pushes him slightly before settling his eyes on the giant at the other side of the net.

The scoreboard shows 9-14 of the second set before the ball is tossed into the air again.

When the ball returns, Mark locks eyes with Donghyuck and mentally informs him about the coordination. Mark laps and he’s not surprised when the blockers are already up there waiting for him, but he makes a forceful turn, sending it sideways avoiding the barrier and almost taking the opponent libero’s head off. The ball bounces off the libero’s arms and is forcefully send towards the bleachers gaining a few fearful cries from the audience.

Mark _freaking yells_ blissfully. Donghyuck laughs out loud.

They manage to gain a few points thanks to Mark dodging the insufferable block. They’re currently 20-21.

They’re up at the front again and when the first hit is made and the ball goes straight to them, unexpectedly Mark is the one receiving it and tossing the ball up just to end up being spiked for Donghyuck on an open corner.

They high-five gleefully when the rival team look at them dumbfounded because Mark is clearly not a setter but hey — their practice sessions weren’t in vain. Needleless to say it seems to work just fine because they have the second set under their belt.

Balls keep being tossed here and there as every team get two sets so that means they’ve to go for a fifth and last one.

Almost limping, Mark had to stop at some point, his knee was getting too swollen and their coach needs him to fight for the final push.

Reaching the final, the rival coach calls for a time out.

Donghyuck has his legs on every side of the bench, massaging Mark’s bad knee, ignoring his drenched in sweat t-shirt glued to his back.

“It looks better,” Donghyuck comments, still vaguely out of breath from the game while sliding his fingers across Mark’s knee until they reach his thigh. Donghyuck looks up at Mark through black lashes, a small smile splitting on his lips.

For a second, Mark has to reconsider again what was the punishment of kissing someone —quite vividly and in the make out section — in the middle of a game. Donghyuck has been such a sweetheart and Mark seriously wants to reward him for that like he deserves.

 

 

Fifth set: 13-14

The last set just needs 15 points with a two points difference to proclaim the winner. Mark can feel an uncomfortable sensation sitting on his stomach noticing that the rival team just needs a solely point to win.

With that in mind, when the game restarts Mark throws himself to the floor to push the ball up and sends it to the current attack line. Jaehyun ends up thundering it on the opponent’s court and the ball comes off with a forceful hop. They gather up for a second to cheerfully pat Jaehyun as a thank you for not letting the game end just yet.

14-14

The rival team ends up colliding with each other after NCT U’s team sends it back. All the players make synchronization, killing it with a surprised smash from Donghyuck.

15-14

Taking a deep breath to send off his nerves, Mark bents down and eyes the ball crossing the net to the other side of court. It’s easily passed to their side again and Mark unglues his outworn sport shoes from the parquet floor and retracts, taking a few steps to gain momentum and jumps high when Donghyuck sets it to him. The defense is up again and unexpectedly instead of panicking, Mark’s lips tug up in a seemingly confident smirk as his hand flies rapidly but ends up with an off-speed movement and instead of hitting it, he tips, _he really tips_ the ball and it blows over the outstretched fingers of the SME team. The ball descends behind the blockers’ backs before they can react, the rival players run to catch it up but the ball already makes contact with the floor.

The gymnasium is filled with a buzz signaling the end of the game and the audience stands up cheering obnoxiously.

Mark shots his head towards the scoreboard to see their well deserved 16-14 as their final points, but unfortunately or more like fortunately, Donghyuck throws himself over Mark, encircling his legs around his hips and embracing him tightly, nestling his face in the crook of Mark’s shoulder.

“We’ve made it!!” Donghyuck half yells, trying not to deaf Mark momentarily.

Mark hugs him as his hand balls the back of Donghyuck’s t-shirt and rests his other arm under Donghyuck’s butt to support him up.

“You used a tip,” Donghyuck raises his head sharply to meet Mark’s eyes and startles him. “You fucking tipped it!”

Feeling proud, Mark smirks while wiggling his eyebrows. “Yeah,”

Donghyuck bits his bottom lip quite intensely and Mark’s gaze immediately sets on the gesture. Without much thought, Donghyuck cups Mark’s face between his hands and ducks his head down, crashing his lips against Mark’s. Their lips press more strongly than expected for a first kiss, but none of them care too much because they’ve been waiting for it for too long that it just looks perfect.

Their lips break apart too soon for Mark’s liking and he tightens his grip, following Donghyuck’s lips dumbly when he retracts. It’s not enough. Securing Donghyuck on his arm placed under his butt, Mark snakes the other one behind Donghyuck’s nape and brings him closer with a whisper of ‘more’. Donghyuck’s chuckle dies down when Mark closes the gap between their lips again.

Looks like their coach is not especially happy with their way of celebrating their win because he takes the duty to separate them before tongues are involved in a public space.

This time, they celebrate it with the whole team as they form a human wheel, jumping around while circling around with their arms over their teammates placed at each side. They don’t forget to thank the audience for their cheers and eventually shake hands with the rival team.

The trophy is carried for Taeyong when the golden confetti flies off, some of them end up resting on their heads and they take turns to appreciate the prize after their endless hours of hardwork.

It was kind of shamelessly planned but Mark pulls it off as if it was spontaneous. Mark pulls the hem of Donghyuck’s t-shirt, bringing him closer and asks Jaehyun to take a photo of them with the trophy. Mark slides his arms around Donghyuck’s waist, resting his chin onto Donghyuck’s shoulder while Donghyuck carries the trophy. Their smiles are bigger than ever and Mark can’t wait to hang it in the middle of his corkboard.

 

❈

 

“Where are Mark and Donghyuck?”

The same question has been asked a few times in their assigned room only to be answered when they finally reached the parking lot.

“I can’t believe it.”

Mark has Donghyuck pressed against one of the bus’ sides while they’re not so lowkey shamelessly making out.

“Fucking finally someone grew some balls,” Jaehyun comments as he makes his way up the bus’ stairs.

For the sake of enjoying their more-than-delayed make out session, Mark ignores him as his hands keep gripping Donghyuck’s hips, bringing him impossibly close. Donghyuck still has his hands tightly balled in his hair so Mark figures he doesn’t care that much either.

“Shit, that tongue move will taunt me to the end of time,”

“Get off the way!” Taeyong demands when Yuta takes his sweet time to stare after having the audacity to complain. Taeyong forcefully shoves Yuta into the bus and pats his own back for being a good leader and let the kids enjoy the moment.

His benevolent leadership feeling dies quite quickly though. Their make out session seems to never end and Taeyong has to go out of the bus to pull Donghyuck’s arm — gaining a surprised shriek — and push him into the bus. Mark follows suit as expected and a few snickers are thrown their way.

It eventually calms down when their coach glares at them because they sound like kindergarten.

When the bus finally sets off and they’re on their own peaceful world, recalling the game or just sleeping, Yuta seems more vivid than ever. He appears behind the back of the seats placed in front of Mark and Donghyuck’s chosen ones and rests his arms onto the headboard, chin nestled in between.

“Question,”

Mark rolls his eyes because Yuta never has good intentions and those mischievous eyes confirm his thoughts. Mark ignores him, instead immersing on untangling his earbuds when another voice speaks up.

“Shoot,” Donghyuck replies and Mark gives him a glare because _what?_ _Haven’t they learned from it yet?_ But Donghyuck smirks, remembering the last time and how much they got from it, and let’s not mention how much he enjoyed seeing Mark being a flustered mess.

Pointing to the both of them, Yuta says: “Is it official?”

Mark seriously thinks his questions are always unnecessary and he would live more peacefully if they went extinct, but then his eyes land on Donghyuck — with his sheepish gaze along with a slight lovely red color washing his cheeks to complete the cute pack and Mark can’t stop the stirring up butterflies in his stomach. So maybe, just maybe, Yuta’s questions are actually not that bad after all — but Mark won’t admit it in a billion years.

Looking back to Yuta, Mark finally spits, “Yeah.”

There's a brief pause before the whole bus starts hollering, their teammates that were asleep, suddenly wake up clapping to whatever is going on, still processing the information. Mark hears someone yelling ‘pay up bitch’ along with ‘bet’ and other words that he tunes off for the sake of his own sanity. Their coach, for once, let them enjoy themselves and they may be taking a bit advantage of that.

“I’m sorry,” Mark apologizes, coming closer to Donghyuck so he can hear him over the obnoxious yells. “I was trapped.”

Donghyuck shakes his head, lips curling up. “It’s okay,”

Mark thinks there must be some kind of magnetism because he can’t stop falling deeper in all kind of ways, his head already leaning in, Donghyuck’s breath already ghosting over his lips and then suddenly everything is gone. Someone jerks him to the opposite side of his seat and all Mark can see is Jaehyun’s serious face.

“Mark, we need to talk,”

Shaking away Jaehyun’s hands still clenching onto his hoodie, Mark swifts on his seat.

“What?” Mark doesn’t even try to hide his annoyed tone because he just missed an opportunity of kissing those plump lips — _and that’s unforgivable._

“Now that you’re in a romantic relationship — which I highly approve after all the headaches I got thanks to you — there is something I need to point out. I’m like your big brother so it’s my duty— no, don’t give me that disgusted face you little shit,” Mark rolls his eyes because his speech seems to never end. “As I was saying, it’s my duty — to give you _the talk_.”

“Oh god,” Mark seriously wants to disappear right now.

Donghyuck breaks in an outburst of rowdy laughs while Mark tries to hide his face under his hoddie, zipping up the front and ducking his head in.

“Mark, this is serious!” Jaehyun shakes mark’s arm and tries to take Mark’s face out of his hideout, only to make him sink even more in his misery. At some point Jaehyun starts laughing too.

“Mark!”

 

❈

 

They’re back to their deathly routine after a week of freedom. Yunho proclaimed they were going to become lazy pigs if their break lasted for too long — and he wasn’t wrong. The first day back was a torture, too used to never ending hours laying on their beds.

“Donghyuck,”

“Hmm?”

Donghyuck is cross-legged in front of Mark, scrolling through Twitter. It’s become a habit to sit in front of each other and Mark is clearly not complaining, not when he has an amazing view of Donghyuck’s beautiful face with his nose scrunched up in a cute manner.

 “Three words,”

Donghyuck’s thumb comes to a stop, head sharply jerking up and round eyes fervently reeling on Mark’s looking for whatever he’s trying to say.

Mark swallows the nervous lump that just formed on his throat, maintaining their eyes locked and trying to fight the heat rising up to his face.

“What?”

“T-Three words,”

Everyone knows what the _three-words-thingy_ means but Mark is too afraid of saying the real words, they keep stuck on his throat. So he opts for the slight equal thing instead and prays that Donghyuck can decipher the metaphor.

Donghyuck stares at him with a mixture of feelings all showing through his perplexed eyes: surprise, adoration, a bit of fear and finally playfulness. Mark doesn’t know what to expect.

His lips part and Mark embraces himself before the next words drop out, “I-Want-Food,”

Mark pauses and takes his sweet time to blink and process the fact that Donghyuck is freaking teasing him (again). He’s an expert in transforming every tricky situation on a slighter atmosphere.

Gaining composure but with his pride still a bit shattered, Mark groans and presses the heel of his hands against his eyelids.

“Ugh, forget it.”

Donghyuck laughs wholeheartedly and sets his phone aside. Approaching the bench, Donghyuck places each leg next to Mark’s hips, straddling him, then reaches for his hands, taking them away from his disgruntled face and waits until Mark reopens his eyes.

A pout appears on Mark’s lips as he peers up at Donghyuck through black lashes. Donghyuck’s lips twitch slightly, threatening to curl into a smile but suppress the urge to because Mark would become increasingly more annoyed.

“Fool,”

The pout grows more noticeable and _ugh_. Donghyuck is weak.

Tuning off the balls crashing against the parquet floor and the exasperated yells from their teammates still practicing, Donghyuck focuses on the insecure boy in front of him. Mark has the necessity of being reassured almost for everything.

Donghyuck chuckles as the pout is still persistent. Bringing his hand up, Donghyuck runs his fingertips along Mark’s cheek, taking his time to play with Mark’s flexible ear.

Mark’s piercing gaze peers up at him and Donghyuck purses his lips.

“Me too,”

Seriously, _Mark tries_ — _he really does try,_ but a shit-eating grin spreads on his face and Mark is sure it won’t be easily wiped again. Even when he combs his hand though Donghyuck’s soft hair, bringing him closer because Mark never has enough of those plump lips — the smile is still on.

Yeah, they’re still bad with words, they always were — but they understand each other like no one else.

 

“God, the hormonal teenagers _are back at it!”_

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> yeah... it took longer than what i thought but it's finally here! i almost gave up a few times, that's why i want to thank someone that has always been encouraging me: Amada, thank you so much for always being there ♥ and don't screenshot this because i'll never admit such cheesy statement ever again
> 
> ALSO THANK YOUUUUU to all of you who always leave a comment or kudos or something on my other fics, you don't know how much i appreciate them. Thank you, really ♥ it encourages me so much ;;;
> 
> pssst, if anyone is interested, you can find me here: [twitter](https://twitter.com/bluedheart_x)  
> p.s: I don't know anything about volleyball lmao if I messed up please ignore itttt


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